BRITISH ARMY RECORDS – PRE-1900 Phil Dunn, Sr Research Consultant, AG® FamilySearch.org
[email protected] How you find army records for an ancestor depends on several factors. This presentation examines the various factors, and then lays a basic background for understanding army records. The factors to understand include time period, rank, corps, wars & campaigns, and filing or organization of the records. STRATEGIES IN HOW TO RESEARCH BRITISH ARMY RECORDS Specific events in history affected the keeping and organization of records. If you know what was going on in the British Army at the time your ancestor served, it may simplify the task of finding him. This includes various wars (see wars & campaigns, below), as well as changes in record keeping. In early British history, armies were raised as needed and disbanded as the conflict ended. In 1660, the Restoration of the Monarchy led to establishment of the first standing army, which has continued to this day. However, it was 1760 before any uniform method of record keeping commenced. Thus, most military records do not exist before 1760. In 1816, many regiments were disbanded as the Napoleonic Wars came to an end. Prior to 1847, attestation (enlistment) was for life. In 1854, the Board of Ordnance was merged into the War Office (see Corps, below). Rank. The basic distinction is commissioned officers are totally separate from soldiers (which includes non-commissioned officers). Officers were commissioned, while soldiers attested (or enlisted). Searches for officers are undertaken totally separate from searches for soldiers. If you are uncertain which applies to your ancestor, you may need to do two separate searches.